Whisper of A Thrill
by Eleve Osirian
Summary: Can one moment alter the course of the future? For Maerad, it can change eternity.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nadda. =(

**A/N: I thought of this idea while listening to "Whisper Of A Thrill" from the movie "Meet Joe Black." (Great movie, btw) ****It's a beautiful melody that is awe inspiring. **

**I hope this first chapter is great, however short it is. ****As always, I skimmed through this for spelling/grammer stuff but it may not be perfect due to the late hour. Please let me know if there are typos!! =)**

* * *

Gusts of rain buffeted the shutters, and a cold draught swept through the narrow gaps in the wooden slatting, but the hearth fire still smoldered well enough and the peats gave off a fine, red flow, sufficiently warming the room. Not that Maerad needed the fire to warm her; not this night.

A rapturous, languid heat spooled through her veins as she examined the man beside her. In the days following his revelation of love, she had lost all coldness towards him; as quickly as it had come upon her in her hurt, it left her body. Now, in the softness of dark, yearning swirled through her, a wanting that Cadvan must have felt, for he stirred in his sleep.

Grinning, Maerad placed a delicate hand to his bare arm. "Are you awake?"

A brief moment passed before he tightened his grip around her waist. "Mhmm," he whispered lazily, still enthralled in sleep's intricately woven web. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she assured, breathless at the pressure between their two bodies. The frown relaxed from his brow, and he seemed almost to grin as she traced his jawline.

"You worry of tomorrow," he stated softly. A sigh filled his lungs as he rolled onto his back, his hair roughed against the pillow.

In the dim light, Maerad fancied his lean torso covered in a thin sheet of sweat, a clue into the night past. Blushing, she was grateful he didn't look at her as her eyes brushing across him, enjoying the portrait painted before her. "Well?" he asked.

"Sorry," she mumbled, her face growing Crimson under his observation; how could she have forgotten his question? "I was just-"

"I know," he replied, laughing quietly. "Honestly, Maerad. You needn't fear rejection to your curiosity; I find it perplexing," he grew serious. "I enjoy your lack of reserve."

She made no effort to conceal her bewilderment; everything was so new, exciting to her. In place of fear had blossomed a passion that nothing could staunch save Cadvan. It was an odd feeling, one that Maerad jumped at each time it crawled into the deepest recesses of her heart, but it did not frighten her as it would have long ago. She enjoyed it.

"How long will you be gone?" she licked her lips, preparing herself for the inevitable.

"A fortnight at most," he explained, wishing to drift back into comfortable sleep next to Maerad. "A mere second in the great scheme of life," he smiled brightly, exhaustion draining from his face.

"But one second can change the future," she reminded; he seemed to know what she spoke of.

"Aye, it can," he agreed, stroking the hair away from her face; lulled into a daze, she rested her head against his chest while listening to his even breathing. Her touch worked wonders as she held him close.

"I love you," she whispered, the tempo of his heart increasing when he embraced her tightly, the only answer she required as his hot breath tickled the nape of her neck. "_Wait for me, Elednor_," he tempted in seductive tone that sent a thrill down her spine. She wanted to do so, yet never before in her life had she been so afraid. She'd found her love in the midst of hardship, and she feared losing him so soon after knowing him completely. Mirroring her thoughts, he gave her a reassuring smile, forcing all the love he felt for her into the expression. His eyes burned suddenly as his lips formed the words, "I love you," and she had all she could do to keep from pulling him back into bed as he sat up.

Her innards burned with destitution as he dressed, knowing how lonely she would be without his company. He took one last moment to scry her beautiful face, bidding her a momentary farewell as he slung a pack over his shoulder. "Light stay with you, my Firelily," he ended, closing the door quietly behind him.

_To Be continued..._

* * *

**Aw...I definitely love MC, although I would be quite jealous of her... =p**

**Let's see if you can figure this one out! mwahahaha :stops: Yeah, you might..lol**

**Review! :winces at thought of none:**


	2. Chapter 2

disclaimer: I own nadda.

**Alright people...suspence is how i work. Hence the fact that none of you know what is going on. I shall clarify in following chapters, so just brace yourselves until then =p**

**Note: Any strange names used over the course of this fic are taken from the maps of Edil-Amarandh. **

* * *

The weeks passed slowly with the same unpredictable weather; one day's wind blowing down winter from the icy plains of Arkiadera, chilling her already lonely heart while the next bound Lirigon to the fairer seasons of the Suderain. It was a perplexity Maerad had yet to decipher, for her own mood swings prevented much in depth thought over something so trivial.

In the month he had been away, Maerad had come to understand the true meaning of desolation. In the Cot, she had nothing motivating her to live. Each day was another tally on the road to death, a path she so desperately wanted to see the end of. But it all had changed; one complete stranger had saved her from that miserable existence and brought her to know everything about life, including love. And now that she had a life worth living, it scared her to know she could fall so far and lose it in the blink of an eye.

It was because of this realization that she didn't loathe the women who clung desperately to their husbands, never letting them shine with their own separate light. It made sense; the two were one, a riddle Maerad had solved. She wished Cadvan to reappear at her door so she could throw her arms about him and never let him go. But he wouldn't. It was an empty hope. She would just have to wait for her other half to return.

Sighing, Maerad found a robe and made her way to the bathhouse; its soft luminous glow relaxing her tense muscles as she entered its humid atmosphere. She sank into the hot water until it reached her collarbone, its warmth enveloping her in a soothing embrace.

_He put his finger on either side of her face, caressing, drawing her closer until they stood with their bodies nearly touching. "Do you still fear me?" he murmured, his mouth mere centimeters from hers._

"_No," she whispered, her eyes closing from the pleasure of his touch._

"_You are sure of this?" he asked, tracing the sides of her mouth with his thumbs. "I don't want to hurt you."_

_Maerad had never heard anything so ridiculous. "You wouldn't hurt me, Cadvan," she answered, raising her arms to slip them about his neck._

_He lightly touched her lips with his own; the barest of caresses, murmuring her name, then covered them more fully. One of his hands slid to the back of her head, into her soft hair, holding her, while the other moved downward, his fingers spread wide as he pulled her flush against himself. She made a sound of surprise as their bodies met, then relaxed and willingly obliged to the sensation. Her body continued to liquidate as the kiss grew in intensity and before long she felt herself submerged in its beauty._

Barely aware that she still rested in the lavender bath, she collected her thoughts. It would do her no good to dwell on the past, especially when there would be a future.

Her stomach twisted itself as she stood, cramping causing her to buckle in brief discomfort. Her period managed to affect her this way each visit, a curse Maerad vowed to find a solution to. She sneered at men who found their lives difficult to manage..."_if only they knew the troubles women face on a daily basis."_

"Maerad?" she heard a voice sound across the darkened room.

Pausing a moment, she knew it was Mira, a women who had befriended her in Cadvan's absence. "Yes?" she flushed, quickly covering herself.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but there is someone waiting for you inside."

"Who?" Maerad inquired; it was late in the evening for receiving visitors.

"I-I'm not entirely sure. I went to your door and found it locked. I figured it was you but noting the time, I knew you would be here," she explained, turning to offer privacy.

Maerad had no idea who would lock it; it accomplished little to nothing as her room towered above the streets of the School so escape through anything other than the door would prove deadly. It made her laugh to know Mira had worked out her schedule. "Am I that predictable?" Maerad joked, sliding her arms through the robe's sleeves.

"I'm afraid so," Mira admitted, a smile covering her face. "Well, at least as far as taking a bath goes," she added.

Maerad was thankful that Mira had entered the room, however rude it might have been that she didn't knock; if she had fallen asleep in the bath, she could have easily drowned.

"Here, let's get you to your room. I want to find out what is going on!" she interuppted her thoughts, a dead whisper that Maerad could barely hear.

* * *

"You look ghostly," Mira observed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Maerad shrugged. She didn't have the skin of a sun drenched bard of the South but she certainly didn't feel ghostly. A smug look covered her face as they approached the stairwell.

"I meant no harm, Maerad, I'm just worried about you." Mira smiled wanly; Maerad hadn't acted herself since Cadvan's departure. "You act lovesick."

Maerad blushed. "I'm not lovesick. If anything, I'm glad to have time for myself," she lied; her friend didn't need to be included in her private life.

Reaching the door, the handle turned easily. Raising a questioning brow, Maerad chuckled. Mira looked quite abashed. "I-" she began, searching for an explanation.

"It's alright," Maerad replied. "I needed to get ready for sleep anyway," she said truthfully.

"Not a problem," Mira answered, hugging her goodnight. "Meet me in the library for breakfast?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Maerad giggled, entering her pitch black room. Setting her robe aside, she felt vulnerable to the dark expanse that stood between her and the bed. It proved threatening somehow._Come now, Maerad. It is a few feet of empty space; nothing is here. _

Feeling cowardly, she closed her eyes. "I am Maerad of Pel-" she started before correcting herself. "..Lirigon. Lily of Fire. Elednor." Her arms were stretched out before her as she spoke aloud, pride billowing in her chest. _I don't need to fear anything._

"I dare say, Avaunt dark spiri-" she stopped, feeling light hands brushed across her midriff. Shocked, she nearly cried out until a soft voice silenced her fear.

"Nay, I am no dark lord," was the tender answer she received.

"Cadvan?" she exclaimed softly. "What are you-"

"Shh..." he whispered, a faint mage light illuminating the room. "I wanted to surprise you," he spoke convincingly, unaware of the affect he had on her.

Shuddering in disbelief, she hugged him tight. "You didn't fail," she murmured. _"You could never fail me."_

_To be continued..._

* * *

**=o A epic surprise? :insert major rolling of eyes:**

**Next chapter a bit more explanatory..I just didn't want to rush things too quickly.**

** Please review! I'm counting on them to keep this fic going!!!! **

**And as I always leave off, if it is horrid, I'll fix in. Enough said. =p**


End file.
